Tiltable umbrella having gear rack operating means



TILTABLE UMBRELLA HAVING GEAR RACK OPERATING MEANS Filed July 15, 1963 S. N. SMALL May 11, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 5/)Ml/EL N /wuL BY Y May 11, 1965 N. SMALL 3,182,673

TILTABLE UMBRELLA HAVING GEAR RACK OPERATING MEANS Filed July 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ar- 5 H IN VENTOR.

5/9Ml/fl. N. 5MALL /7 TTUR/VEY United States Patent 3,182,673 TILTABLE UMBRELLA HAVING GEAR RACK OPERATING NIEANS Samuel N. Small, Valley Stream, N.Y., assignor to Alfred G. Cohen and Paul Weiss, both of Flushing, NY. Filed July 15,1963, Ser. No. 295,059 3 Claims; ((11. 13546) actuated latch means for support of the umbrellatop in the open positions thereof. Still more particularly, the invention deals with an umbrella structure of the character defined employing a finishing cap yieldably supported in connection with the top supporting frame or member.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the

separte parts are designated by. suitable reference char- "acters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the upper portion of an umbrella, with part of the lower portion of the umbrella post broken away and illustrating the parts in what might be termed a collapsed position of the umbrella top, in other words, with the runner actuating the umbrella top in it's lowermost position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the upper end of the top supporting frame or member, diagrammatically illustrating the yieldably supported finishing cap and the disc for support of the ribs of the umbrella top, two of the ribs being indicated by dot-dash lines.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the upper portion of the post and the lower portion of the top supporting frame or member, illustrating the runner in raised position preparatory to support of the top in normal upright position and diagrammatically illustrating in dotted lines the movement of the runner into position to'tilt the top supporting frame or member and the umbrella top,

part only of the dotted line position of the latch being shown. I

- FIG. 4 is an enlarged section substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, omitting background showing.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, illustrating only part of the crank unit.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, omitting background showing.

FIG. 7 is a detached view of the upper end portion of the rack employed on an enlarged scale and showing the runner coupling plate fixed to said rack; and

FIG. 8 is a partial section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 5. a While my improved gear rack operating means can be utilized in connection with umbrellas of any type or kind,

in illustrating. one adaptation and use of my invention, I will refer to the same as applied to folding multiple rigid section umbrellas as disclosed in my Letters Patent Number 2,967,379 dated January 10, 1961. In these umbrellas, the umbrella top is composed of pairs of hingedly coupled sections, at least one section in each pair supporting a' rib, with which the brace'rods actuated by the runner are coupled in movement of the umbrella top into open and closed positions. With umbrellas of this type and kind, the gear and rack operating means herein ice ' in movement of the same into open and closed positions,

as well as in swinging the umbrella top into tilted position.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, I have diagrammatically shown the upper and part of the lower portion of the umbrella and at 14 is shown the tubular post, the upper end portion of which terminates in a transverse pivot rod 11, upon which the top supporting and operating frame or member 12 is pivotally mounted. The post 10 has an elongated slot 13 for guidance of a runner 14 in its movement longitudinally of the post. At the upper portion of the post 1%, the post has two other short elongated apertures in opposed walls thereof. One of the upper apertures is shown at 15 in FIG. 3 of the drawing and one of the lower apertures is shown at 16 in FIG. 3 and both of these latter apertures are clearly illustrated iu FIG. 4 of the drawing.

Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, I have diagrammatically shown in elevation a conventional type of crank unit 17 fixed to the post 10 in any desired manner. This unit-could be of a type and kind as disclosed in my Letters Patent Number 2,951,492 dated September 6, 1960. Now, considering FIG. 5 of the drawing, in this figure, the shaft actuated by the unit 17 and which transverses the post 10 is illustrated clearly'at 18 and shown in section in FIG. 8 of the drawing. The shaft has circumferentially spaced gear teeth 19 and, as seen in FIG. 5, parts of the teeth are cutaway, as indicated at 20, to definitely define a gear member 21, which operatively engagesan elongated sheet metal rack 22 or re-formed gear teeth 23 of this rack, as illustrated, in part, in FIG.

8 and one of the teeth being shown in section inFIG. 6.

The teeth 23 are fashioned from the central portion of the rack 22 and side edges of the rack are fashioned to form ofiset rounded substantially hook-shaped bearings 24 which operatively engage the inner wall of the post 1b, as clearly seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawing.

Fixed to the upper end portion of the rack 22 and .seated within the offset sides of the rack is a runner coupling plate 25, generally T-shaped in cross-sectional form, as seen in FIG. 6. The rib 26 of the plate 25 is sulficiently long to pass through the elongated slot 13 in the post lil through a key aperture 27 in the wall 14' of the runner 14, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawing. The protruding end of the rib 26 has an aperture to receive a drive pin 23 for definitely retaining coupling engagement with the runner 14 and support of the rack 22 upon the inner surface of the post 10, as previously stated. It will be understood that the rack 22 is of sufficient length to compensate for the full travel of the runner 14 from its extreme lower position, indicated in part in FIG. 1, to its fully raised position, indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

Mounted in the post 10 in registering alinement with the shaft 18 and its gear 21 is a backup bearing block 29, preferably formed of plastic material and fixed to the post by spaced screws 30, as clearly seen in FIGS. 5 and 8 of the drawing. The block 29 supports the rack 22 and backs up the rack, particularly where the gear 21 operatively engages the same.

Mounted in the upper portion of the post 10 is a frame or membera'otuating and lock element 3'1 of channel cross-sectional form, the channel in the lower portion of the element being shallow and supporting a pin 32 operating in the elongated apertures or slots 16 of the post 10. The upper or deeper portion of the channel supports another pin 33, note FIG. 3, which operates in the elongated yond the periphery of the post 10, so that the ends of 32 can be engaged by the runner 14 and the ends of 33 can extend through and operate in angularly offset apertures in opposed side walls of the frame or member 12. The apertures in question have short lower ends 34 arranged substantially centrally of the axis of the post and long angularly oifset upper portions 35. It will, thus, be apparent that, as the runner 14 is moved upwardly, the pin 32 will be engaged to move the element 31 upwardly, first to position the pin 33 at the upper end of the portion 34 of the apertures, in other words, the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3 of the drawing. On continued upward movement of the runner 14 substantially into the dotted line position of FIG. 3, the pin 33 will operate in the angular portion 35 of the apertures and swing the frame or member 12 into the tilted position, as illustrated, in part, in dotted lines in FIG. 3 of the drawing, thus moving the umbrella top into a tilted position.

In the above description, reference is made to the side Walls of the frame 12, one only of these walls being shown at 36 in FIG. 1. The opposed wall is indicated, in part, at 36' in FIG. 3. The upper and major portion of the length of these walls is joined by a crosshead 37, indicated, in part, in FIG. 3 of the drawing and shown in the backgroundin FIG. 2. The walls 36, 36', below the crosshead 37, are enlarged in width, as clearly illustrated at 38 in FIG. 1 and it is in these enlarged portions that the slots or apertures 34, 35 are formed. The enlarged portions 38 support, at their upper corners, a transverse pin 39, with which is coupled the enlarged loop end 40 of a connecting rod 41, placing the frame or member 12 in coupled relationship with a latch 42 or a projecting lug 43 at the upper portion of said latch.

The latch 42 may be said to comprise an elongated arm, having, at its lower end, an enlarged oifset hook 44, forming a runner engaging socket 45, in which the runner is supported when the umbrella is retained in the normal raised position, or in the raised tilted position. The latch 42, or the end 44 thereof, operates in an elongated aperture 46 in the post 10; whereas, the lug 43 operates in another alined elongated aperture 47 in the post 10, these elongated apertures compensating for movement of the latch 42 longitudinally of the post in the operation of the umbrella. Most of the foregoing construction is clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. The latch 42 has an extension above the lug 43, which operates entirely within the post 10 and this extension has an elongated aperture 48, in which a pin 49, fixed to the post, operates. This pin is clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, as is also a section through the latch 42. The inner wall of the aperture 48 has, adjacent the upper end thereof, an offset notch 50, indicated in FIG. 3, but best shown in FIG. 4, to receive one end 51 of a coil spring 52, the other end 53 of this spring being fixed to a part 54 of the wall of the post in a suitably cutout portion thereof, as clearly seen in FIG. 3 of the drawing. The spring 52 operates freely in an elongated aperture 55 in the element 31 in order to provide free upward and downward movement of the element 31 in operation of opening and closing the urnbrella. It is pointed out that the notch 50 is sufficient to clear the end 5 1 of the spring from the pin 49 to provide free movement of the latch to its fully lowered position, so that the pin 49 can be disposed in the upper end of the slot or aperture 48 as and when spring 52 moves the hook end 49 of the latch entirely within the post 10. This would be the normal position of the latch when the runner is in its fully lowered position.

At this time, it might be well to point out that, in this lowered position of the runner, the pins 32 and 33 will be supported in the lower ends of the apertures 16 and 15, respectively. This latter positioning is accomplished by a coil spring 56 supported in the upper portion of the post below the pivot pin 11 and bearing upon a washer 5'7 engaging the upper portion of the element 31, as clearly seen in FIG. 3 of the drawing. It is only after the runner 14 has been moved upwardly to move the parts into the position shown in FIG. 3 that the latch 42 is swung into the extended position shown in said figure and, upon completing the movement of the runner 14 to the position shown in FIG. 1, if the runner is moved downwardly through the crank unit 17, the lower portion of the runner will seat itself in the socket 45 and, thus, support the umbrella in the upright open position.

Carrying the above operative description further, as and when it is desired to move the umbrella top into open position, the runner 14 is moved into a position substantially similar to that indicated, in part, in dotted lines in FIG. 3, in which operation,,continued upward movement of the pin 33 will engage the angularly olfset portions 35 of the aperture and cause the frame or member 12 to be swung into an angular position, as indicated, in part, in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

In the above described operation, it will be apparent that the latch 42 will be raised substantially into the dotted line position of the lug 43 in FIG- 3; in other words, with the pin 49 in the lower. end of the aperture 48 and the rod 41 will then have its looped end 40 substantially in position to operatively engage the pin 39, so that, in the operation of returning the umbrella top to its normal upright position, downward movement of the runner 14 will positively swing the frame or member 12 on its pivot 11 to return 12 to they upright position, shown inFIG. l of the drawing. In this latter movement, it will be apparent that the pin 49 will assume a position at the upper end of the aperture 48 or, in other Words, above the end 5 1 of the spring. However, with the lower end of the runner still engaged in the socket 45, the latch will be maintained in the extended position, shown in FIG. 3. Now, to again fully lower the runner 14, the runner is first moved upwardly to a position clearing the hook portion 44 and the spring 52 will then take over to draw the latch into the post 10, thus clearing the runner for free downward feed by the crank unit 17. In all of the above described operations of the runner, it will be understood that'these are performed through operation of the crank unit 17. It will also be apparent that, when the runner has again assumed its lowered position and the umbrella top is collapsed, the element 31 will be automatically moved downwardly by the spring 56 to assume normal position of the pins 32 and 33, as seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

No detailed showing of the umbrella top. is made, as the umbrella top, in itself, forms no part of the present invention. However, in FIG. 2 of the drawing, I have diagrammatically illustrated by two dot-dash lines 58 ribs of the umbrella top, which are coupled with the periphery of a rib supporting disc 59 riveted or otherwise fixed to flanged portions so on the side walls 36, 36' of the frame 1 2, as clearly seen in said figure. The disc 59 has a central aperture, in which a tubular bearing 61 is mounted and suitably fixed. Within the bearing 61 is arranged a sleeve 62 fixed to the upper rounded end 63 of a finishing cap 64 by a pin 65, as clearly seen in FIG. 2. One end of a coil spring 66 is coupled with the pin 65 0nd the other end of the spring is coupled with a transverse pin 67 mounted in the upper end portions of the walls 36, 36. The spring 66 normally urges the rounded peripheral portion 68 of the cap 64 in engagement with the umbrella top. The spring 66 compensates for flexure of the umbrella top and serves, in part, to resist stresses or strains to which the umbrella top may be subjected by winds or otherwise and to accomplish this in a yieldable manner. In connection with the foregoing, it will be understood that the body portion of the umbrella top, at its upper end, extends beneath and is covered by the peripheral portion 68 of the cap 64. In other words, with umbrella tops of the type and kind disclosed in Patent Number 2,967,379, the upper ends of the pairs of sections employed in the umbrella top will extend to a point in close proximity to the periphery of the disc 59 and beneanth the cap 64. Here again, it will be understood that this arrangement provides full weather protection against any possible leakage at the upper end of the umbrella top.

For purposes of description, the structure above described may be said to comprise a mechanism for tilting and supporting umbrella tops and particularly a mecha nism of this type and kind employing the gear rack means for actuating the mechanism. It will also be apparent that the particular type of gear rack structure disclosed is only illustrative of one method of construction which can be used. This gear rack drive or operation of the mechanism obviates the problem which has been commonly experienced in umbrellas of the type and kind under construction where the operating cable or strand breaks, due

to excessive stresses or strains to which it is subjected.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure'by Deters Patent is:

1. In umbrellas of the character defined employing an elongated post and a runner slidably engaging the post in movement of an umbrella top into several positions, a crank unit mounted in connection with the lower portion of said post, said crank unit employing a driven gear, a rack mounted in connection with the post and coupled and movable with said runner and actuated by the gear of said crank unit in movement of the runner upwardly and downwardly along the post into several operative positions, the upper portion of the post including means for movement of an umbrella top into tilted position, means movably and yieldably supported in the upper portion of the post operatively engaging said last named means and actuated by said runner in positive movement of said tilting means into tilted position with respect to the post, and said post including auxiliary latch means in operative engagement with said tilting means and said runner in movement of the tilting means from a tilted position into a position in alinement with said post.

2. In umbrellas of the character defined employing an elongated post and a runner slidably engaging the post in movement of an umbrella top into several positions, a crank unit mounted in connection with the lower portion of said post, said crank unit employing a driven gear, a rack mounted in connection with the post and coupled and movable with said runner and actuated by the gear of said crank unit in movement of the runner upwardly and downwardly along the post into several operative positions, the upper portion of the post including a member for movement of an umbrella top into tilted position, a lock element movably and yieldably supported in the upper portion of the post and operatively engaging said member and actuated by said runner in positive movement of said member into tilted position with respect to the post, said lock element being of channel cross-sectional form and supporting spaced projecting pins, one of said pins being actuated by said runner, the other pin operatively engaging said member, said post including a pivotal and slidable latch actuated by said runner, and means coupling said latch with said member for movement of said member from a tilted position into a position in alinement with the post in downward movement of the runner on the post.

3. In umbrellas of the character defined employing an elongated post and a runner slidably engaging the post in movement of an umbrella top into several positions, a crank unit mounted in connection with the lower portion of said post, said crank unit employing a driven gear, a rack mounted in connection with the post and coupled and movable with said runner and actuated by the gear of said crank unit in movement of the runner upwardly and downwardly along the post into several operative positions, the upper portion of the post including a member pivoted to and projecting beyond the upper portion of said post for movement of an umbrella top into tilted position, a lock element movably and yieldably supported in the upper portion of the post and operatively engaging said member and actuated by said runner in positive movement of said member into tilted position with respect to the post, the yieldable support of said element comprising a coil spring mounted within the upper portion of the post between the pivoted connection of the member and the post and the lock element, said lock element supporting spaced projecting pins, one of said pins being actuated by said runner, and the other pin operatively engaging said member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 3 8,986 3 86 Leistner 13 5 -20 2,485,118 10/49 Simpson 135-20 2,721,569 10/55 Militano 135--20 2,782,795 2/57 Small 13540 2,819,725 1/58 Deisenroth et a1 13 541 2,951,492 9/60 Small 13'520 2,967,379 1/ 61 Small -49 2,979,065 4/61 Small 46 FOREIGN PATENTS 128,258 5/32 Austria.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN UMBRELLAS OF THE CHARACTER DEFINED EMPLOYING AN ELONGATED POST AND A RUNNER SLIDABLY ENGAGING THE POST IN MOVEMENT OF AN UMBRELLA TOP INTO SEVERAL POSITIONS, A CRANK UNIT MOUNTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID POST, SAID CRANK UNIT EMPLOYING A DRIVEN GEAR, A RACK MOUNTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE POST AND COUPLED AND MOVABLE WITH SAID RUNNER AND ACTUATED BY THE GEAR OF SAID CRANK UNIT IN MOVEMENT OF THE RUNNER UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY ALONG THE POST INTO SEVERAL OPERATIVE POSITIONS, THE UPPER PORTION OF THE POST INCLUDING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT OF AN UMBRELLA TOP INTO TILTED POSITION, MEANS MOVABLY AND YIELDABLY SUPPORTED IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE POST OPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID LAST NAMED MEANS AND 